Posts Tagged ‘red bell pepper’

Slow Cooker Chicken Nachos

After 6 years of grad school you would think I would be completely dependent upon my slow cooker to provide sustenance. Somehow I’ve only started utilizing it frequently over the past year (and also maintained my blog without depending on it to do the cooking for me) and have discovered a whole new world of slow cooking that I never knew existed. I used to think slow cookers were only for stew-type meals, and a few years ago would’ve never dreamed of being able to cook oatmeal, dessert, or Asian cuisine in it. Most recently I enjoyed slow cooked chicken for tacos, which then lead me to try the same process for nachos.

Although my slow cooker is a bit temperamental and had to cook this on low for only 3 hours instead of the directed 6, at least I know my slow cooker well enough to do so. Since I do not have a slow cooker with a timer on it – just on, warm, low and high – I now use a plug timer. Before I used this method I could only use my slow cooker on the weekends, and that kind of defeats the purpose. Now I set it up right before I leave in the morning with the plug timer turning on a few hours after I leave so that it just finishes cooking when I get home. And what a great meal to come home to! Once it was all prepared with the toppings it was actually hard to believe it came from something as simple as a slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Chicken Nachos

One year ago: Cheesy Potato Casserole

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN NACHOS

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

1 jarred whole roasted red pepper

1/2 cup salsa

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large pinch  salt and pepper

1  (14.5 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 bag favorite tortilla chips

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sour cream (I used 0% plain Chobani instead)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1 scallion, finely sliced

1 avocado, diced

1 lime, for the juice

Directions:

  1. In a slow cooker, place the chicken, roasted red pepper, salsa, cumin, chili powder, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook on high for three hours (or low for six)*.
  2. Once the chicken is cooked, take two forks and shred the chicken and pepper right in the cooker. Add the pinto beans, toss to combine and cook an additional 30 minutes.
  3. Arrange the chips on a large platter. Spoon the chicken and bean mixture over the chips. Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken. Pop the platter under the broiler for a couple of minutes to the get the cheese all browned and bubbly.
  4. Remove the platter from the oven and top with Greek yogurt, chopped cilantro, scallions and diced avocado. Squeeze of lime juice over the whole thing and enjoy!

*Cooking times may vary. My slow cooker cooks hot so it only took about 3 hours on low.

Source: Adapted slightly from Bev Cooks.

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Kale Quiche

When I saw baby kale at my grocery store right next to the baby spinach I could not resist. Especially since I am making efforts to incorporate more vegetables into my diet (said while I munch on baby carrots). And what better time to add more greens than right before St. Patrick’s Day? With breakfast being the most important meal of the day I decided to start there by making a quiche with the baby kale. This quiche would’ve been even healthier if made crustless, but the crust is my favorite part of a quiche! I would not have been satisfied without it’s presence.

Kale Quiche

KALE QUICHE

Serves 6

Ingredients:

9-inch refrigerated pie crust, uncooked

1 Tbsp olive oil oil

1/4 cup diced white onion

2 cups fresh baby kale (or regular kale torn from the stems)

1/2 large red bell pepper, diced

1 turkey breakfast sausage, cooked and diced

3 egg whites, beaten

2 eggs

1-1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie pan.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, kale and red bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted and onion and pepper is softened. Stir in sausage. Let mixture cool slightly.
  3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese and pepper. Add kale mixture and stir to blend. Scoop into prepared pie pan. Bake in preheated oven until eggs have set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Adapted from Ingredients, Inc.

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Chicken-Quinoa Burgers with an Avocado-Yogurt Sauce

Today we are joining together to help raise awareness for Heart Disease. Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic lost her Mom to heart disease when her mother was 47, and Kim was 15. Each year on the day her Mom passed she shares stories and photos of her Mom. This year she joined forces with Jen of Juanita’s Cocina, whose life was also touched by heart disease when her Stepfather had a heart attack. Jen’s Stepfather is alive and well more than a decade later, and for that, Jen is thankful every day. The ladies got in touch with other bloggers to ask them to share their own stories about how heart disease has touched their lives. So today we share stories and recipes from our hearts to yours, in memory and honor of Momzie, Kim’s Mom. We hope you will share your stories with us today as well.

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I have been lucky enough to not have heart disease affect my life, but my gene pool doesn’t lack in other diseases so I can definitely relate to Kim’s loss and also being thankful for those that remain in good health. And staying in good health can benefit from eating the right foods.

This recipe contains a few great foods that may help lower the risk of heart disease. Whole grains such as qunioa are high in fiber which helps lower “bad” LDLs. Avocados can also help lower “bad” LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body. Yogurt actually may help against gum disease, but if left unchecked can elevate the risk for heart disease. I have also seen sweet potatoes and red bell peppers listed in a top 25 heart-healthy foods list due to their beta-carotene (a carotenoid).

And the best part about these burgers? They are really stinking delicious.

Chicken-Quinoa Burgers

One year ago: Maple, Walnut, and Flaxseed Pancake Doughnuts

Two years ago: Spicy Cheetos Crusted Chicken

CHICKEN-QUINOA BURGERS WITH AN AVOCADO-YOGURT SAUCE

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked black quinoa (I used regular)

1 lb. ground chicken

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

1 cup cilantro leaves, divided in half

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp garlic salt

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 avocado

3 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt

Juice from a lime (about  2 Tbsp)

4 whole wheat buns, toasted

1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese

Directions:

  1. Cook the quinoa in boiling water for about 15 minutes, until it pops into little spirals. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cooked quinoa, red bell pepper, half the cilantro, chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, garlic salt, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Thoroughly mix with your hands, and then form four patties. You can chill these in the fridge if you want, or go ahead and cook them.
  3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the patties and sear until browned on both sides and cooked all the way through, 10 – 12 minutes total. Set aside.
  4. In a food processor, combine the avocado, yogurt, remaining cilantro, lime juice and a pinch of salt.
  5. Smear a little of the avocado sauce on the bottom half of the onion bun. Top with a chicken-quinoa patty, more avocado sauce then some crumbled cotija cheese. Serve with sweet potato fries (or tots in my case).

Source: Bev Cooks

Signature

Spicy Basil Chicken

I picked up Brady from the vet yesterday and was none too pleased to be stuffed back into his cat carrier, but upon his release back home he was happy as a clam! I was sent home with two weeks worth of antibiotics and hopefully it will be smooth sailing after that. Definitely do not like that I will be leaving town again soon, but he will have a good cat-sitter who has been given advanced approval to take him to the vet at the first sign of any new flare-ups. But for now, hooray happy kitty! Totally enjoyed reading on the couch with him snuggled up next to me again last night.

Now that all is well let’s talk about dinner. I am guilty of being subscribed to several cooking magazines, yet rarely do I cook from them. I will fold over pages and drool over everything in sight but for some reason I easily forget even the most tantalizing images. I have this problem with many of the amazing cookbooks I own as well. Although while we are at it, I probably only ever make a fraction of the number of recipes I bookmark online. Alas.

Thankfully for me, I managed to make this stir-fry from a recent issue of Cooking Light. This meal satisfies the taste buds with all the great flavors going on. A spicy basil sauce coats the chicken which is served with sautéed snow peas and peppers and brown rice with sesame seeds. But if you are looking to cut back on time, you can use instant brown rice and some steamed vegetables instead. The chicken holds the spotlight anyway.

One year ago: Buttermilk Ranch Mac & Cheese

SPICY BASIL CHICKEN

Serves 4

Ingredients:

CHICKEN

2 tsp canola oil

1/4 cup minced shallots

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

6 (4-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 Tbsp fish sauce (I used additional soy sauce instead)

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

1-1/4 tsp chile sauce with garlic

1 tsp water

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt

1/3 cup sliced basil leaves

VEGETABLES

2 tsp dark sesame oil, divided

2-1/2 cups fresh snow peas, trimmed

1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

RICE

1 cup uncooked brown rice

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

  1. For the chicken, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken to pan; cook 13 minutes or until chicken is done.
  2. Meanwhile, heat another large skillet over medium-high heat for the vegetables. Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add snow peas and bell pepper to pan; sauté for 4 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Drizzle vegetable mixture with remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and toss well to combine. Set aside.
  3. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting fat. Stir in juice and salt. Sprinkle with seeds. Set aside.
  4. Combine fish sauce and the next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add fish sauce mixture to pan with the chicken, and cook for 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring to coat chicken. Remove from heat. Stir in basil and stir with rice and sautéed vegetables.

Source: Cooking Light, April 2012

Secret Recipe Club

Sausage, Red Bell Pepper and Spinach Pesto Pizza

Ask and you shall receive. On my last pizza post, many of you left comments to keep the pizzas rolling so here’s this week’s installment! This time I’ve made a recipe I found on Bev Cooks awhile back. You make a pesto using spinach leaves for the sauce, and top it off with red pepper, Italian sausage and of course Mozzarella cheese. It’s a pretty fantastic little dance of ingredients. And they certainly look good together too!

Of course as with all of my pizza recipes, you do not need a stone and peel to make pizza at home. Just cook it on a pizza pan or cookie sheet as you prefer, but I am convinced that the crust comes out as pure perfection when using a stone. So you really should get your hands on one sooner rather than later. Probably my favorite kitchen item ever. And I am sure you can tell how well-loved it is by it’s stained appearance in pictures.

By the way, is anyone shocked that I rate every pizza I make as 2-3 servings? Maybe I am just a fat kid but there’s hardly a pizza made in my kitchen that ends up producing more than 3 servings. Maybe I cut my slices too big, but I don’t care O:-).

One year ago: Review: Just Tell Me What to Eat!

SAUSAGE, RED BELL PEPPER AND SPINACH PESTO PIZZA

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

2 cups baby spinach

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 pine nuts, toasted

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp

1 Italian sausage, casing removed

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin sticks

1 recipe thin-crust pizza dough

1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with pizza stone on bottom rack.
  2. In a food processor add the spinach, garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts, and a pinch of salt and pepper. With the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream until pesto-y. Set aside.
  3. Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a medium skillet and add the sausage. Break up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate. Set aside.
  4. To the same pan, add the red pepper. Add a little more oil if needed. Add a dash of salt.
  5. Transfer pizza dough to the preheated pizza stone using a cornmeal dusted pizza peel. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly golden.
  6. Remove pizza and stone and evenly spoon the pesto over the crust. Sprinkle a little cheese on top. Then add the sausage and peppers. Then more cheese.
  7. Return pizza and stone to the oven and bake 10 minutes, or until golden brown and cheesy is bubbly. Slice and eat.

Source: Bev Cooks

Gnocchi with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

I love gnocchi dishes and after reading about how this one in particular made sea-food eaters at dinner jealous, I knew I had to try it (being a fellow non-seafood fan). I have had sun-dried tomato alfredo sauces many times, but I think this was my first experience adding roasted red peppers. And let me just tell you that every last drop of this sauce was devoured, I made sure of it. There was no way I was allowing any of that deliciousness go to waste. And even though I went ahead and used a homemade lighter alfredo sauce recipe instead of jarred, it was still quick to throw together. Next time I might even add some chicken.

Stay turned because tomorrow I am guest posting on Lemon Sugar – the very place this recipe originated!

One year ago: Nutella Mousse

GNOCCHI WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER CREAM SAUCE

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 package fresh gnocchi

2 cups Alfredo sauce (jarred or homemade)

1-14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

1/3 cup chopped roasted red pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup white wine

Pinch of salt

2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup grated Parmagiano-reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions:

  1. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine alfredo sauce, salt and wine.  Stir until combined, and barely simmering.
  2. Add heavy cream, tomatoes and roasted red pepper and stir to combine.  Bring to a light simmer and remove from heat.
  3. Stir in grated cheese and fresh basil.  Set aside and prepare gnocchi according to package directions.  Drain gnocchi and stir into prepared sauce.
  4. Garnish with more grated cheese and fresh basil.  Serve.

Source: Lemon Sugar

Cajun Mac & Cheese

I have a confession. I originally did make something using andouille sausage for the Holiday Recipe Club blog hop yesterday, and it was this mac and cheese. Instead I had decided to post something that was a little more in the spirit of the Mardi Gras holiday (hence the bananas foster muffins). But now it’s time to share the savory side of how this holiday was celebrated in my kitchen.

I cannot recall the last time I ate andouille sausage but such a question will become easy to answer now that I have made this because I definitely plan to make it again. Recipes that take traditional mac and cheese for a spin by adding other ingredients and seasonings, such as seen in this recipe, are some of my favorites. Mac and cheese really is a great base for the construction of a very delicious meal – after all, how can you go wrong with pasta and cheese?

One year ago: Pizza Bagels

CAJUN MAC & CHEESE

Serves 4

Ingredients:

12 ounces whole-wheat pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

6 oz. andouille sausage, diced

2 bunches green onions, sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp Cajun spice blend

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cups 2% milk

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta for 1 minute less than package directs. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water then drain pasta.
  2. In a large, deep skillet heat olive oil over high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until it begins to brown. Add onions and pepper and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the Cajun seasoning and flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer. Gradually and carefully whisk in the milk. Whisk until sauce is thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the cooked pasta and cheese to the skillet, tossing to combine. Add pasta water to thin sauce if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 1 minute. Serve.

Source: Adapted slightly from Handle the Heat, originally from Food Network Magazine March 2012.

Skillet Chicken with Peppers and Peanuts

After a dinner-time workout, it’s really nice to have something on a plate ready to be eaten shortly after. (Especially when my workout consisted of running outside in 100+ degree heat. Why? Because I am a crazy person.) I’m so hungry after working out no matter what time of day, that pushing back dinner time leaves me ravaged. Preparing this meal, I mixed up the marinade and dropped in the chicken before leaving for the gym, then after a much needed shower upon returning I got it cooking. With a little drizzle of some of the sauce that accumulated in the bottom of the pan this was a fabulously tasty and quick meal.

The peanuts are my favorite part.

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 each: red, green, yellow pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

MARINADE:

1/3 cup soy sauce (I used reduced sodium)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup sherry wine

1 Tbsp dark brown sugar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp ground ginger

Directions:

  1. 2-24 hours beforehand, combined marinade ingredients in a baking dish. Add chicken to the marinade and let marinate for 2-24 hours, turning occasionally to coat. Let chicken sit at room temperature in the marinade for 30 minutes before cooking.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. When ready to cook, heat an oven-safe skillet on medium heat. Slice green, red and yellow peppers. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and add peppers with a pinch of salt, reserving a few pepper slices. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Push peppers to the side and turn heat up to medium high. Add chicken breasts and sear on each side until brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. After the second side has seared, top the chicken with reserved pepper slices and add the entire skillet to the oven uncovered. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately top with peanuts. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
  3. Serve with brown rice.

Source: How Sweet It Is

Spicy Chicken and Pepper Jack Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust

Rotisserie chickens are my new favorite convenience food item. The first time I had ever purchased one, was when I prepared a recipe from “Just Tell Me What to Eat!”. Immediately I thought to myself, why haven’t I been doing this all along? It makes life so much easier, because I’m not one to have leftover chicken in my fridge just waiting for a purpose (although I do at the moment after making this pizza, since I only used half of the chicken). And my grocery store carries three different types: Savory (which I used here), BBQ, and Lemon-Pepper. The possibilities are endless!

Pizza is one of my favorite foods because no matter what I’m craving, it can be put on top of a pizza crust. This time around I just wanted something with a little kick. With the help of a rotisserie chicken and some leftover homemade salsa, this pizza turned out perfect. (There’s no shame is using jarred salsa, but you should really try the homemade stuff sometime, especially since it’s takes minimal effort.)

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp canola or olive oil

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

One small red bell pepper, sliced into 1/8″ rings

One small green bell pepper, sliced into 1/8″ rings

1 recipe whole wheat pizza dough

1/2 cup salsa (I used homemade)

1-1/2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (about half a Rotisserie chicken)

2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with a pizza stone* on the middle rack.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add bell peppers; sauté 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.
  3. Meanwhile, roll pizza dough onto a corn meal dusted pizza peel*.
  4. Stir salsa into cooked vegetables; spread over crust. Top with chicken and cheese.
  5. Shimmy the pizza from the pizza peel onto the pre-heated pizza stone and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until it the crust turns golden brown and the cheese starts to bubble. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, garnish with cilantro if desired then cut into slices.

*If you do not have a pizza stone or peel, roll dough out on a corn meal dusted baking sheet/pizza pan.

Source: Adapted from My Baking Addiction

Homemade Salsa

It’s Cinco de Mayo! Do you have everything ready for the party you are hosting/attending this evening? Or were you planning to skip out? Well, whatever your plans are I think you should take the few minutes it takes to make this salsa. A friend of mine, Lisa, used to make this salsa for many football parties and other group events (which always involved food) and it was always raved over. But she never made it exactly the same every time, so getting the recipe from her was a challenge. She used to say that she just threw in whatever she had around her kitchen. Finally Brandi was lucky enough to observe the making of this salsa before Lisa moved, and attempted to write it all down. What I have posted here is half of the recipe passed along to me (it makes a lot even in half!) with a couple minor changes. I feel like Lisa is in my kitchen right now, miss you!

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 jalapenos, cut in half with seeds

2 cloves garlic

1 lime, zest and juice

Half a bundle of fresh cilantro

1 tsp tomato bouillon

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Note: I used a 10 cup food processor and it fit everything perfectly (and that’s only half the original recipe!)

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Pulse until you reach a desired consistency. Adjust seasonings to taste.
  2. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Source: Brandi/Lisa

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